The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has been considering for years the best approach to issuing special use permits for commercial pack and saddle stock outfitter-guides who lead trips on national forests around the Methow Valley and surrounding areas.
The National Forest has …

One big question was on a lot minds last weekend when leaders of the Methow Headwaters Campaign hosted an informational meeting at the Twisp River Grange:
How might the incoming Trump administration, with …

A preliminary investigation indicates that a 17-year-old man on a brush-clearing crew died from an alcohol overdose or poisoning, according to Okanogan County Coroner Dave Rodriguez.
Santos Armando Romero Mendez Jr. (known as Armando) was working on a crew …

The effort to protect the upper Methow Valley from future mining took another step forward when it was endorsed last week by the head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.
Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack said …

Groundwork is being laid for expanding mountain biking trails at Sun Mountain and the Loup Loup Ski Bowl.
The Methow Chapter of the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance plans to host community meetings in the near future to gather comments from the public about proposed …

Although this summer has been wetter than the past two, in just six days this past week state firefighters responded to 82 wildfire starts, all but two of them likely human caused.
The majority of these were accidents, started by sparks from a flat tire and wheel, by tow chains dragging…

Firefighters, U.S. Forest Service staff and community members had an opportunity for personal and shared reflection about the lived legacy of Tom Zbyszewski, Rick Wheeler and Andrew Zajac, the three firefighters who died in the Twisp River Fire one year ago.
The U.S. Forest Service held a formal tribute on the one-year anniversary of the firefighters’...

On a tranquil knoll with views of three Methow Valley watersheds, the Methow Valley Ranger District has created a site for reflection and contemplation to honor the firefighters who died in the Twisp River Fire.
The living memorial — located next to the ranger district offices in Winthrop — brings together ideas from firefighters, district employees...

Back country horsemen from around the state volunteered almost 1,800 hours clearing and improving trails on U.S. Forest Service land in the Methow Valley during a five-day work party over the Fourth of July weekend.
About 75 members of the Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) sawed out hundreds of downed trees, cleared overgrown vegetation,

People interested in understanding proposed changes that would affect where motorized vehicles can travel in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest have an opportunity to learn directly from U.S. Forest Service staff this Friday (June 24). The Forest Service open house is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Okanogan County Public Utility District headquarters in Okanogan....